Belarus May Free Political Prisoners After US Delegation Visit Sergei Tikhanovsky

2026-03-18 07:03:32

(MENAFN- UkrinForm) Belarusian opposition figure and former political prisoner Sergei Tikhanovsky said this in an interview with Ukrinform.

He noted that U.S. authorities are holding talks with Alexander Lukashenko's regime on the further release of political prisoners.

"Such negotiations are underway. The release of another group of political prisoners is expected after the U.S. delegation's visit to Minsk on March 18," Tikhanovsky said.

Asked whether he had personally appealed to U.S. authorities to help secure the release of specific detainees, he said he does not single anyone out. However, during a U.S. Congress hearing on March 3, he highlighted a particularly vulnerable group – active resistance members and security personnel whom Lukashenko considers traitors.

"They are held in the most horrific conditions, and they are precisely the ones authorities will try not to release," he said.

Read also: Zelensky: Ukraine imposes sanctions on Lukashenko

Speaking about Belarusian political prisoners – estimated at around 1,140 people, according to the Viasna Human Rights Center – Tikhanovsky said he feels responsible for everyone who remains behind bars.

"So far, only a small fraction of people has been released. I believe I have something to advise the U.S. administration on regarding the optimal strategy for freeing prisoners. This is not a trivial task. The price of release may vary. The Americans hold strong cards, but Lukashenko is also an experienced player in this poker game," he added.

On December 13, 2025, Lukashenko released 123 political prisoners following a meeting with U.S. envoy John Coale.

In June 2025, after a visit by Donald Trump's special envoy, Keith Kellogg, 14 opposition figures were freed from prison. Among them was Sergei Tikhanovsky, who had been sentenced by Belarusian authorities to 18 years in prison and spent five years behind bars. He is currently in the United States, where he is undergoing rehabilitation and engaging in human rights advocacy.

Photo: Screenshot / Strana dlya Zhizni YouTube channel

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